John Darko
KEF has put its LSX II streaming active loudspeaker on a diet to produce a new model that dials back the wallet damage and trims a little fat from the feature set. In other words, the all-new LSX II LT is a more affordable take on the LSX II.
The LT version is once again built around KEF’s W2 streaming module but without the Roon Readiness of its more expensive sibling. This is far from a deal breaker. Roon will just as easily stream to the LSX II LT’s Apple AirPlay 2 and Chromecast inputs. Tidal Connect also shows up to the party with the KEF Connect app covering UPnP, Qobuz, Deezer and Amazon Music. Your choice of Ethernet or Wi-fi. Bluetooth waits in the wings with Mom-n-Dad convenience.
KEF intends its new active model to serve in three key areas: music streaming, computer audio and television usage. That’s why the hard-wired connections on the back of the primary loudspeaker are all digital: USB-C for computer desktops, HDMI ARC for TVs and TOSLINK for games consoles and CD players.
At the business end of the LSX II LT sits an 11th-generation Uni-Q driver array with one Class D amplifier and one DAC applied to each driver. Those with sharp memories will recall that this is the very same arrangement that lives in the LSX II: 70 Watts of amplifier power applied to a 4.5″ mid/bass driver that coaxially surrounds a tweeter that sees 30 Watts of juice. The crossover is executed by the same DSP engine that optimises the loudspeaker’s overall performance and, optionally, according to room placement. KEF calls this the ‘Musical Integrity Engine’.
From the press materials: “KEF’s in-house designed Digital Signal Processing (DSP) algorithms take an already excellent acoustic foundation and elevate the relationship between the various components far beyond what typical ‘off the shelf’ options can even aspire to.”
My KEF contact tells me that the sound spilling from a pair of LSX II LT will show up with 99% of the audible qualities of its forerunner.
However, this is not a loudspeaker for idealists fretting over an intra-speaker interlink that doesn’t run at 24bit/192kHz (or wirelessly). The digital signal journeys from the primary loudspeaker to the secondary as 24bit/96kHz stereo S/PDIF via a 3m run of KEF’s proprietary ‘C-Link’ cable. That same cable provides all the power required by the secondary loudspeaker; no mains cable is required. The left channel uses only left channel data and the right channel only right channel data. An 8m ‘C-Link’ cable will be available separately for those wanting to go wider on channel separ ation.
Far more important than any hi-res elevation dressing is bass. KEF has carried the LSX II’s subwoofer output over to the LSX II LT and when I get my hands on a pair in a month or so, I will be adding a subwoofer to the scene almost immediately. That 2.1 system will mandate the use of floor stands with the LSX II LT fully compatible with the LSX II’s S1 stand (and P1 desk pad).
The LSX II LT will head out the door for £899/pair. In the USA, the LT will go for US$999/pair and in the EU, €999/pair. The optional 8m C-Link cable is yours for another £50/US$59/€59.
Michael Young was once again tapped for the industrial design with the LSX II LT coming in three new finishes that dispense with the original’s fabric outer: your choice of Graphite Grey, Stone White or Sage Green.
For clarity: the LSX II (£1199) is not being discontinued and, flipping our comparison around, adds optional wireless interlink, 3.5mm analogue input, MQA rendering and Roon Ready to the LSX II LT’s feature set.
Further information: KEF
